Accommodation or Modification: Do You Know the Difference?

Helene Anzalone & Lori Noordergraaf, Educational Consultants

Bureau of Special EducationNH Department of Special Education

Helene.Anzalone@doe.nh.govLori.Noordergraaf@doe.nh.gov

Who’s Here? What does IDEA and NH Law say about accommodations

& modifications? Moving from less to more restrictive supports: a

continuum of support How to determine when accommodations &/or

modifications are needed Accommodations - definitions & types (including

assessment) Modifications – definitions & types (including assessment) Accommodations or Modifications? - Some case study

scenarios NHSEIS Dropdown A few words about Smarter Balanced Assessment

Accommodations Wrap up of Part 1 Break

NH Rules: Ed 1109.01 Each IEP shall include (1) The elements listed in CFR 300.320

CFR 300.320(4)(5) (4) A statement of the special education and related services

and supplementary aids and services, based on peer-reviewed research to the extent practicable, to be provided to the child, or on behalf of the child, and a statement of the program modifications or supports for school personnel that will be provided to enable the child--

(i) To advance appropriately toward attaining the annual goals; (ii) To be involved in and make progress in the general

education curriculum in accordance with paragraph (a)(1) of this section, and to participate in extracurricular and other nonacademic activities; and

(iii) To be educated and participate with other children with disabilities and nondisabled children in the activities described in this section;

(5) An explanation of the extent, if any, to which the child will not participate with nondisabled children in the regular class and in the activities described in paragraph (a)(4) of this section;

Ed.1109.03 (a) IEPs shall be in effect in accordance with 34 CFR 300.323

34 CFR 300.323(d)(2)(i-ii) Each teacher and provider described in

paragraph (d)(1) of this section is informed of

(i) His or her specific responsibilities related to implementing the child’s IEP; and

(ii) The specific accommodations, modifications, and supports that must be provided for the child in accordance with the IEP.

§ 300.42 Supplementary aids and services. Supplementary aids and services means aids, services, and other supports that are provided in regular education classes, other education-related settings, and in extracurricular and nonacademic settings, to enable children with disabilities to be educated with nondisabled children to the maximum extent appropriate.

↓Informal supports & strategies available to all students ↓RTI/Pre-referral recommended strategies

*Do not require a formal plan*Do not need to be included in a formal plan* Vary from district to district, school to school, sometimes classroom to classroom*The more that is available to all students, the fewer the number of accommodations that will need to be included in the IEP *Can contribute to the confusion re: what is and is not an accommodation

-seating where student learns best

-quick sensory breaks

-in-class tools to prevent fidgeting

-quiet area for studying & test-taking

-frequent eye contact from teacher

-repeating directions & writing them on board; cueing

-key points on board

-check in with teacher after class

-homework notebook/parent sign-off in homework notebook

-key points on board

-graphic organizer for note-taking

-using computer for writing assignments

-Read & Write Gold school license

-visual schedule

-PBIS/Social Thinking

↓Informal supports & strategies available to all students (aka good teaching, aka UDL) ↓RTI/Pre-referral recommended strategies

http://education.jhu.edu/PD/newhorizons/Exceptional

%20Learners/Law/hayes.htm

↓ Formal Supports (through 504 & IEP) ↗ *Need accommodations only (504 ) ↑ *Need modifications & accommodations (IEP)

→

→

When informal teaching supports and “good teaching strategies” that are available to all are not enough to provide students on IEPs with access to the general curriculum.

When students with disabilities need individualized accommodations or modifications in order to have access to and participate in the general education curriculum

To help set up equity so the student would have opportunities to achieve specified goals

To offer a temporary situation while the student is being taught specific strategies and skills with the goal of improving the student’s ability

To strive toward student being able to succeed without continual special assistance

GOAL: To promote increasing independence Modifications & Accommodations → Accommodations→ No special supports needed or reduced need for special supports

Determination of need for & effectiveness of accommodations & modifications should be evaluated & reviewed at least annually

IEP team’s responsibility to make decisions regarding accommodations & modifications

Any changes in instruction or evaluation determined necessary by the IEP team that does not impact the rigor and/or validity of the subject matter being taught or assessed. (NH Rules for the Education of Children with Disabilities [Ed 1102 Definitions])

Supports that allow a student to complete the same assignments or tests as other students, but with a change in the presentation, response, setting, materials/equipment or timing/scheduling

Allow the student to demonstrate what he or she knows without fundamentally changing the skill being taught in class or measured in testing situations

Provide Instructional or test adaptations Allow the student to demonstrate what

he or she knows without fundamentally changing the target skill (core content)that’s being taught or measured

Change the manner or setting in which information is presented or in which students respond

Help a student overcome or work around a disability

Level the playing field by changing “how” students work through the general education curriculum

Lower learning expectations Lower performance expectations Change the complexity of the target skill

being taught or measured Change target skill or testing construct Reduce learning or performance

expectations

Need to be aligned or matched between classroom instruction, classroom testing and district and state testing

Students who require accommodations will generally need them in school, at home, in the community and in postsecondary/work environments

Emphasis is on varied teaching approaches (visual, auditory, tactile, multi-sensory

Instruction varies: whole group, small group, individualized

Material is presented to the student in a fashion that is different from the traditional presentation

Activities include recording lectures for replay, modeling/demonstration, use of manipulatives, hands-on, pre-teaching vocabulary, using organizers, providing visual cues

Have student respond orally, record answers or use a word processor

Solve or organize work using some type of material or device

Use of assistive technology or scribe Develop a strategy so that student is

prepared to respond orally when called on in class

Pair student with other students

Completes task or test in a quiet room or in a small group with other students

May leave class for assistance Sign language interpreter Minimize distractions Alter room arrangement, conditions of

setting based on student needs Preferential seating Use a study carrel

communication device Braille voice-activated software on-line reader colored folders colored overlays Keep extra supplies on hand Audiobooks Chapter summaries Provide post-its for students to mark important info in

text Provide extra set of textbooks for student to access at

home Alternate formats for texts (Braille, Read and Write Gold,

Bookshare) Audiotaped lectures

extended time frequent breaks given extra time to complete a project,

assignment, test schedule review session prior to test test at time of day when learning is optimal handout worksheets one at a time Break long-term projects or assignments into

components with mini-deadlines Plan for transitions Address organizational goals (increasingly

independent use of agenda book, prioritizing assignments, getting to class on time with the right materials, etc)

Present test orally, in larger print or in Braille Administer tests in short sessions or in a

different setting Teach students how to take tests (how to

review, how to plan time for each section) Grade spelling separately from content Allow student to complete a project that

addresses all assessment components as an alternative to a written test

Provide a variety of testing formats Provide study guides prior to tests

web-based review programs student planners checklists review cards review sessions

Any changes in instruction or evaluation determined necessary by the IEP team that impact the rigor and validity or rigor or validity, of the subject matter being taught or assessed (NH Rules for the Education of Children with Disabilities [Ed1102 Definitions])

Adjustment to assignments or tests that change the standard or what the test or assignment is supposed to measure, for example, completing work on part of a standard or completing an alternate assignment that is more easily achievable than the standard assignment

Change in what is being taught to or expected from the student

Alter the field entirely and change “what” is learned thereby changing the content of the grade-specific curriculum

Allow the student to demonstrate what he knows or can do, but also reduce the target in some way

Lower the learning and/or performance expectations in some way

Change the target skill Reduce learning expectations or affect

the content in such a way that what is being taught or tested is fundamentally changed

Lower learning expectations Lower performance expectations Change the complexity of the target skill

being taught or measured Change target skill or testing construct Reduce learning or performance

expectations

Reduction of homework or classwork that does not cover all concepts or standards that the rest of the class is responsible to learn

Curriculum expectations below grade level

Reduction of complexity of material Alternate assessments Completion of part of the program or

some of the course requirements

Teachers do no always know how to separate target skills from access skills

Teachers need to identify target skills, then identify the skills students need to access them or respond to them (accommodations)

Teachers need to maintain the target skill expectations but accommodate the student around the access skill

1) We confuse the two and make changes to the target skill, thereby making incorrect assumptions of what the student truly knows

2) We are more likely to reduce our expectations of students when we provide modifications

3) We limit students’ opportunities to learn and may contribute to “learned helplessness” in future work environments when we reduce expectations around content

Change how the content is taught, made accessible and/or assessed

Do not change what the student is expected to master…objectives of the course/activity remain intact

Access Skill

Also change how the content is taught, made accessible and/or assessed

Do change what the student is expected to master…course/activity objectives are modified to meet the needs of the learner

Target Skill

1:1 or small group instruction extended time on

assignments and/or assessments

Braille or large print materials

shortened assignments and/or assessments

slant boards or study carrels oral administration of

subject-area tasks that do not assess decoding/reading comprehension

http://www.texasprojectfirst.org/ModificationAccommodation.html

Instruction that focuses on selected standards or components of standards instead of all standards or components of standards

changes in scoring rubrics or grading scale

reducing complexity of the activity (only one step as opposed to multiple steps to solve a problem

cueing or prompting student during grade-level activity

Do not fundamentally alter or lower expectations or standards in instructional level, content or performance criteria

Changes are made in order to provide equal access to learning and equal opportunity to demonstrate what is known

Grading is the same

Do fundamentally alter or lower expectations or standards in instructional level, content or performance criteria

Changes are made to provide student meaningful & productive learning experiences based on individual needs & abilities

Grading is different

Here are examples of students with modifications in their IEPs

Now….Can you determine one or more

accommodations that may address the student’s need while not changing the rigor and validity or

rigor or validity, of the subject matter being taught or assessed?

Susie has an intellectual disability. She is placed in a self-contained class, but she has been participating in some general education classes. Susie’s 4th grade general education teacher has required her to participate in spelling tests. Susie received a failing grade for the past 4 spelling tests. The teacher has decided to reduce the number of spelling words on Susie’s list. She is only responsible for the single syllable words on the spelling list each week.

Focus on spelling lists with similar patterns

Reduce number of words, but not word patterns being assessed

Provide review activities that provide a meaningful context for spelling words

Bobby has a learning disability in reading. He is overwhelmed by long reading passages, because he cannot read on grade level. Bobby needs to learn about main idea and supporting details. The teacher provides Bobby a story on his reading level. Bobby only has to identify the main idea while the rest of the class must identify the main idea and supporting details.

Have Bobby identify main idea and details within a paragraph while class uses the whole story

Use graphic organizers to help Bobby organize main idea and supporting details

Provide question cards

Patricia has a learning disability in mathematics. Her teacher has required her to complete the first 10 fast fact problems , but she does not have to reduce to simplest form. The rest of the class must complete the entire page of addition fractions and reduce to the simplest form, including challenging questions.

Focus on the lesson objective before determining which questions Patricia should complete

Assign odd problems so that student completes a sample of each type of problem

Emphasize quality of responses vs. quantity to identify student mastery and reduce frustration

Jacob is a ninth grade student who receives special education services under the category of “Other Health Impairment”. When reading,

Jacob continuously blinks and moves his head, skips lines, omits or transposes words, and loses his place often, even when using a place marker. He sits at the teacher’s computer so he can follow along during PowerPoint presentations

Colored overlays, colored glasses Picture window template or marker to

reduce text visible to the student Print less text on page Text reader which provides cursor to

support reading

Steven is an eleventh grade student who exhibits anger frequently. He talks back to teachers and often misses class, causing him to be behind in his work. Steven’s favorite class (when he attends) is History class with Mr. Michaels.

Establish a mentorship time for the student to meet with Mr. Michaels each week (teacher helper 15 min/week)

Reward attendance with time with Mr. Michaels

Have a plan for student to help him appropriately deal with anger (step by step procedures for student: breathe, count)and share this plan with teachers

Are strategies, NOT special education services Should NOT be listed in the IEP as special

education services for time student is included in the general education classroom (has been removed from the services drop down menu)

Should be measured & evaluated regularly to determine effectiveness, student improvement

Should be monitored and documented for effective implementation so that evidence can be produced for a parent, in a special education on- site or in a case of due process

Avoid the “laundry list” approach. Do not “load up” on accommodations during transition years in anticipation of what may be needed. Teams should identify only accommodations that are specific and essential to the individual student’s needs so that s/he can access the general curriculum.

NHSEIS drop down menu includes many

strategies that are available to all students and/or need to be done for all students. Do not include informal or “good teaching” strategies that are available to all students unless the number or intensity of the individual need is above and beyond what is available to all.

Examples from NHSEIS dropdown menu of good teaching/used with all students: Encourage classroom participation Allow natural consequences to occur for failure to

turn in homework Communicate with parents in order to share

information concerning student progress Emphasize success or progress rather than

winning or “beating” other students Maintain ongoing communication with building

principal Network with other staff Make certain that other students do not allow the

student to look at their work during tests and quizzes and while performing assignments

Apply universal precautions Encourage parent to provide student with a quiet,

comfortable place and adequate time to do homework

Make subject matter meaningful to the student Provide student with positive feedback that

indicates the s/he is successful, competent, important, valuable, etc..

Clearly define classroom expectations/limits Give student a list of rules and/or behavior

expectations Maintain a positive and professional relationship

with the student

Be aware that some items on the NHSEIS drop-down can be accommodations or modifications, depending on the context

For example, Give exams of reduced lengthAllow special projects in lieu of assignmentsAssign student shorter tasks and gradually increase the number over time as the student demonstrates successProvide reduced assignmentsReduce the number of problems on a pageReduce written requirements

Before you list something under accommodation or modification, make sure that you ask the questions:

?? “Does this support & enhance learning (A) or change learning (M)?” ??

??“Does this level (A)or change (M)the playing field?” ??

??“Does it (M)or does it not (A) impact the rigor and validity or rigor or validity, of the subject matter being taught or assessed?” ?? ?? “Is this an access skill (A) or a target skill(M)?” ??

??“Is this a specific need for/available to this student (A)or is it needed by/available to all or most students?” ??

IDEA requires that students with disabilities take part in state assessments

IEP team has responsibility to decide how the student with a disability will participate, and then to document that decision in the child’s IEP

If IEP team decides that a particular test is not appropriate for the child, IEP must include: An explanation of why that test is not suitable for the

child, and How the child will be assessed instead (alternate

assessment (Dynamic Learning Maps here in NH) See “New Hampshire Alternate Assess

Decision-Making Worksheet” handout

34 CFR 300.320(a)(6) states that the IEP must contain: (6)(i) A statement of any individual appropriate

accommodations that are necessary to measure the academic achievement and functional performance of the child on State and districtwide assessment consistent with CFR 612(a)(16) of the Act; and

(ii) If the IEP Team determines that the child must take an alternate assessment instead of a particular regular State or districtwide assessment of student achievement, a statement of why- (A) the child cannot participate in the regular

assessment; and (B) The particular alternate assessment selected is

appropriate for the child

Must have been used in classroom settings during classroom testing and during instruction

A student should never be provided with an accommodations during state testing that they’ve never used in the classroom setting

Not all instructional accommodations will be allowed on state assessments if they would affect the validity of the score

www.ncld.org/students-disabilities/accommodations-education

Based on the conceptual model that all students should be held to the same expectations for instruction in Common Core State Standards and have universal accessibility features available to them.

Recognizes that some students may have certain characteristics and access needs that require the use of accommodations and when they take the Smarter Balanced assessments.

Universal Tools are available to all students based on student preference and selection

Embedded tools are available as part of the technology platforms

Non-embedded tools are provided locally outside of the computer test and can be made available to any student

http://www.smarterbalanced.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/SmarterBalanced_Guidelines.pdf

Those features (embedded & non-embedded) for the SB assessments that are available for use by any student for whom the need has been indicated by an educator or team of educators with parent/guardian and student.

These need to be identified prior to assessment administration & entered into the system (Individual Student Assessment Accessibility Profile aka ISAAP)

Changes in procedures or materials that increase equitable access during the SB assessments

Generate valid assessment results for students who need them

Allow students to show what they know and can do

Need for embedded & non-embedded SB accommodations must be documented on an IEP or 504 plan

IEP & 504 teams make decisions about accommodations & provide evidence of the need for accommodations and ensure that they are noted on the IEP or 504 plan

These must be typically available & accessed in the classroom and/or during class assessments

Appendix A: Summary of Smarter Balanced Universal Tools, Designated Supports and Accommodations

Appendix B: Research-based Lessons Learned about Universal Design, Accessibility Tools and Accommodations

Appendix C: FAQ’s

Expect students with disabilities to achieve grade-level academic content standards

Examine student’s learning strengths and challenges in light of each standard

Ask the right questions: What kinds of instructional strategies work best

for this student? access to instruction and assessment?

What learning strategies will help the student overcome challenges

What accommodations will encourage independence?

What accommodations has the student tried in the past?

What has worked the best and in what situations?

What does the student prefer?

Are there ways to improve the student’s use of accommodations?

Does the student still need accommodations?

How can the student learn to request preferred accommodations?

What are the challenges of providing the student’s preferred accommodations, and how can these be overcome?

Are there other accommodations that the student should try?

Are there ways the student can use preferred accommodations outside of school?

Are preferred accommodations allowed on state & district assessments?

Increased access to learning

Promotion of student independence

Use across environments and tasks

Technological features (software, licensing, compatibility with other devices)

Ease of use Amount of training

required for student and teachers

Cost, if any, to purchase and maintain

Review at least annually There should be a common thread between

goals, services and accommodations Example By June, 2015, given reading assignments,

Tom will decode print at grade level (gr.6) with at least 90% accuracy as measured by weekly progress monitoring prompts/assessments.(Present level is 40% at grade level)

Services for Tom: specialized and individualized reading instruction from a certified reading specialist for 30 minutes per day.

Accommodation related to reading instruction: Tom will receive a “read aloud”

accommodation, using a human reader, or computerized text reader in academic classes and on classroom tests and state/district tests. Tom will use this accommodation on all test items that do not test the skill of decoding words in print. Use of this accommodation will be discontinued when Tom reaches his IEP goal of decoding with 90% accuracy.

Accommodations Journal kept by student and reviewed through regular consultation between special educator & classroom teachers.

Teacher and student evaluation of accommodations input forms

Implementation checklists

DO:Make accommodation decisions based on individualized needs

Select accommodations that reduce the effect of the disability to access instruction & demonstrate learning

Be certain to document instructional and assessment accommodations on IEP

Be familiar with types of accommodations that can be used as instructional and assessment accommodations across many settings

Be specific about the when, where, who and how’s of providing accommodations

Consider appropriate accommodations before deciding to modify

DON’T:Make accommodations decisions based on whatever is easiest to do (e.g. preferential seating) Select accommodations unrelated to documented student learning needs or give student an unfair advantage

Use an accommodation that has not been documented on the IEP (for state/district assessments)

Assume that all instructional accommodations are appropriate for use on assessments

Simply indicate an accommodation will be provided “as appropriate” or “as necessary”

Confuse modifications with accommodations

http://marylandexcels.org/data/ck/sites/217/files/Quick%20and%20Easy.pdf Quick and Easy Adaptations and Accommodations for Early Childhood Students Leisa M. Breitfelder An Article     http://www.brighthubeducation.com/special-ed-inclusion-strategies/85184-acco

mmodations-for-preschoolers/

Preschool Lessons and Accommodations for Special Needs     http://

www.center4atexcellence.com/documents/studentswithspecialneedsinthepreschoolclassroom1.pdf Students with Special Needs in the

Preschool Classroom Pat Satterfield pat@center4ATexcellence.com   http://rbaeyc.org/resources/Inclusion_Article.pdf  Play Modifications for Children with Disabilities by Susan Sandall, 2003

Q & A re: implementation of IEP accommodationsSource: http://www.ldonline.org/legalbriefs/c667/#10

Examples of Increasingly Independent Presentation Accommodations Choosing and Using Accommodations: IEP Team Considerations Teacher Evaluation of Classroom Accommodations - sample form Student Evaluation of Classroom Accommodations – sample form Form to remind teachers of student accommodations – sample formSource: http://specialconnections.ku.edu/?q=instruction/instructional_accommodations/teacher_tools

Resource: Fact Sheet: 2 Do’s & Don’ts When Selecting Accommodations Accommodations Manual: The Five-step Process Resource: Teacher Tool 6: Accommodations Journal Modifications: Reduced Learning Expectations Shortened Spelling vs. ModifiedSource: http://ok.gov/sde/sites/ok.gov.sde/files/documents/files/Accommodations%20Vision%202020%20PowerPoint.pdf

New Hampshire Alternate Assessment Decision-Making Worksheet, 2014-2015Source: http://education.nh.gov/instruction//assessment/alt_assess/documents/participation_2014-15.pdf

Conceptual Model Underlying the Smarter Balanced Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations GuidelinesSource:http://www.smarterbalanced.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/SmarterBalanced_Guidelines.pdf “Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium: Usability, Accessibility and Accommodation Guidelines.” 3/9/15. 

Questions for Parents to Ask about School AdaptationsSource:www.pacer.org, 2004.

Any questions????

Davis, V., “Meeting the Accommodation Needs of Students with Disabilities Through Differentiated Instruction,” Mississippi Department of Education, Office of Instructional Enhancement and Internal Operations, 2011-2012.http://education.nh.gov/instruction//assessment/alt_assess/documents/participation_2014-15.pdfhttp://idea.ed.gov/explore/view/p/%2Croot%2Cdynamic%2CTopicalArea%2C1%2C  “Building the Legacy: IDEA 2004.”http://www.ideapartnership.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=846&oseppage=1 “IDEA Regulations.”http://ok.gov/sde/sites/ok.gov.sde/files/documents/files/Accommodations%20Vision%202020%20PowerPoint.pdf “Accommodations 101: An Overview” by Angela Kwok, Oklahoma State Department of Education, 7/3/14www.pacer.org, 2004. “Questions for Parents to Ask about School Adaptations.”http://www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/iepcontents/ “Contents of the IEP.”http://www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/iep-nonparticipation/“Extent of Nonparticipation.”http://www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/iep-assessments/ “Accommodations in Assessment.”http://idea.ed.gov/download/finalregulations.pdf “Federal Register, Pt. II.”http://www.ncld.org/students-disabilities/accommodations-education “Accommodations and Modifications: How They’re Different.” by Erich Strom.http://www.partnerstx.org/accommodations-modifications-wait-they-are-not-the-same “Accommodations Vs. Modifications: Wait, They’re Not the Same?”http://www.specialconnections.ku.edu/~kucrl/cgi-bin/drupal/?q=instruction/instructional_accommodationshttp://www.smarterbalanced.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/SmarterBalanced_Guidelines.pdf “Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium: Usability, Accessibility and Accommodation Guidelines.” 3/9/15. https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/treatments-approaches/educational-strategies/common-modifications-and-accommodationsKwok, Angela, “Accommodation or Modification: Do You Know the Difference?” Oklahoma State Department of Education, 11/13/14 PowerpointFamilies and Advocates Partnership for Education, “School Accommodations and Modifications,” Minneapolis, MN: Pacer Center, Inc, 10/31/01Wright, Diana Browning, “Teacher and Learning Trainings,” 2005